Maine Township High School Foundation News |
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October 2022 | Issue No. 3 |
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Record Breaking Year for the MTHS Foundation |
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The Maine Township High School Foundation’s spring fundraiser was the most successful event in the organization’s history. Over $80,000 was raised to help support students and staff in the District 207 schools. The virtual event, titled “Be Well, Do Well” focused on our featured recipient – the School Based Health Center (SBHC). Our video is still available to watch if you missed the event. In May the Foundation presented the SBHC with a check for $50,000. In addition to supporting the SBHC, monies raised were used to award scholarships, teacher grants, and needs-based grants, which offer financial assistance to students for a variety of reasons. Look for news in the coming months about which program will be chosen as our featured recipient of this year’s fundraiser, to be held in the Spring of 2023.
Last year also saw the Foundation awarding a record amount of money for grants, with over $28,000 distributed across all three schools. Grant applications were received from many of the schools’ departments including Science, Social Science, Fine Arts, and Career & Technical Education. We’re well on our way to another banner year as almost $10,000 has been awarded during just the first two months of the academic year.
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Grant Highlight: BodyInsight Medical Career
Preparation Program
Article submitted by student intern P. Patel
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The Body Insight Medical Career Preparation Program was first established in the summer of 2018 to provide students with an opportunity for a hands-on learning experience within the medical field. Originally, the program promoted a five-day learning experience that was offered at Illinois Benedictine College, costing $350 per student. The following year the program was introduced to Maine South High School and was subsequently offered to all District 207 students for a fee of $250. The program provided successful results, but over the next two years its format changed as a result of the pandemic and funding issues. This year, thanks to a grant provided by the Maine Township High School Foundation, the course was again able to offer dissection experiences for students and for the first time, participation fees were waived.
Laura Wilkens, the District’s head organizer of the program, applied to the MTHS Foundation for the Body Insight grant because she knows that the program provides a significant hands-on learning experience for students while allowing them to interact with professionals in the medical field as well as current medical students. Twenty District 207 students participated, split up into groups of 10, each participating for one full day. Funding from the Foundation allowed for 20 bovine eyes and 10 bovine hearts for participants to dissect, giving them a better understanding of what it is like to see, feel, and cut real organs. In addition, all students received CPR training and received the Caregiver CPR Certificate from the American Heart Association.
The Body Insight Medical Career Preparation Program genuinely enlightened some of the students regarding their future careers. When asked for feedback regarding their favorite part, one student responded, "My favorite part of this program was suturing because it made me realize that I want suturing to be a part of my profession". The program not only helps students discover if they want to pursue a medical career, but it also helps them to find their passions. The Foundation’s grant made this opportunity available to any student, regardless of their financial situation, and it will positively impact the academic path of these individuals as they continue their education in preparation for future careers.
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District Establishes KIND207 Fund |
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Over the years, District 207 has seen tremendous support provided by students, parents and our community to help others in times of need. During World War II students helped raise enough money to purchase a C54 Skymaster cargo plane. Most recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, more than $155,000 was raised for families impacted by the pandemic. Our community is again faced with a challenge as students are arriving in our schools daily from Ukraine, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Columbia, Haiti, Honduras, Cuba and many other countries. Not all, but many of these students require basic necessities. In addition, many of our own established families from time to time have needs due to hardships like loss of property from a fire or the death of one or both parents.
District 207 has established the Kids in Need District 207 (KIND207) Fund. This fund will allow schools to identify and provide students in need of assistance in real time rather than setting up individual events to raise funds. The Maine Township High School Foundation has already donated $5,000 to the KIND207 Fund. Please consider donating by clicking here or by visiting the donation page on our website.
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